Coaching for Mental Performance in Wrestling

In competitive sports, the mind is just as important as the body. Coaches know the importance of strength, conditioning, and technique, but mental performance is often an underdeveloped area for both the athlete and the coach. As times shift and we’ve become more aware of what creates a well rounded athlete ready to perform at high levels, so must we shift into a new phase of education for coaches. Integrating mindfulness and mental training into your team's routine can help athletes stay calm under pressure, perform with clarity, and build stronger team bonds.

Here’s how you, as a coach, can teach mental performance and mindfulness to your athletes, with practical steps and examples of how top teams are successfully implementing these techniques.

Why Mental Performance Matters

Athletes are constantly under pressure to perform. From beginner to the experienced athlete, everyone has their own version of performance pressure. When athletes and coaches fail to practice proper mental skills, that pressure can lead to anxiety, self-doubt, and underperformance. By teaching mindfulness and mental performance techniques, you help your athletes:

• Stay present in high-pressure situations

• Reduce negative self-talk

• Improve focus and decision-making

• Build mental resilience to handle adversity

• Develop greater camaraderie and teamwork

Incorporating Mindfulness and Mental Training in Practice

Here’s how you can get started with integrating mindfulness into your team’s routine:

1. Start Small: Pre-Practice Mindfulness Check-Ins

Before practice begins, bring your team together for a quick mindfulness session. Ask them to sit or stand in a circle, close their eyes, and focus on slow and controlled breathing for 3–5 minutes. Guide them through a few deep breaths and encourage them to focus on the present moment, leaving any distractions or anxieties outside the gym. This is the time to help your athletes to place their focus on your lesson for the day, or how you need them to execute at practice.

Why you should try this:
Your athletes (and you) are training everyday to physically activate. Rarely is the opportunity taken to connect their minds and bodies before they are physical. Competition naturally brings up all the mental battles, which if not trained, becomes an issue for your athletes. This exercise helps everyone mentally "arrive" before diving into drills.

2. Incorporate Visualization Before Intense Drills

Visualization is a powerful technique where athletes mentally rehearse their movements and reactions in competition. Before a tough drill or live wrestling, take five minutes to walk your athletes through a scenario. For example, in wrestling, you might guide them to visualize their match, imagining their opponent, the crowd, and how they’ll execute specific moves under pressure.

Example Visualization Exercise: Match Preparation
Ask your athletes to close their eyes and picture the first moments of a match. What does the gym look like? How does it feel? Now, visualize executing their technique—feeling in control, responding naturally, and staying calm no matter the situation. Encourage them to carry this visualization into the actual drill.

3. Teach “Reset” Techniques for High-Pressure Moments

During practice, introduce specific “reset” techniques athletes can use in competition when they feel overwhelmed or distracted. Simple actions like adjusting their uniform, taking a deep breath, or repeating a cue like “focus” or “I’m ready” can help them regain mental clarity.

How to Cue a Frustrated Athlete:
When you see an athlete frustrated in practice, this is not the time to encourage them to hold in what they are feeling and “go harder.” This type of practice creates mental blocks, and instead trains athletes to wrestle with frustration. Cue your athlete(s) to slow down their breath through deep inhales and slow exhales. This reduces heart-rate and increases cognitive abilities. Keep your own tone calm but direct. If the athlete is struggling to reset, you can make eye contact, and guide them through the steps of deep inhale and slow exhale. Ask them to use to repeat a cue word in their heads to reset for the next drill or round of live.

4. End Practices with a Mindfulness Cool-Down

After a physically intense practice, bring the team together for a mindfulness cool-down. This could involve a short body scan meditation, where athletes lie on the mat, close their eyes, and slowly bring awareness to each part of their body, releasing tension as they go. This helps both the mind and body recover while reinforcing the mental training aspect of practice.

Helping Athletes Implement These Techniques in Competition

Practicing mindfulness during training is one thing, but applying it in the heat of competition is another. As a coach, you can help your athletes bring these tools onto the mat or field by:

• Encouraging Pre-Match Routines: Encourage athletes to build pre-match routines that include mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, visualization, or mental check-ins.

• Offering Verbal Cues During Competition: During matches, remind athletes to use their reset cues. A simple word like “breathe” or “focus” from the sidelines can trigger them to mentally reset.

• Debriefing Post-Competition: After the match, ask athletes to reflect not only on their physical performance but also their mental performance. Did they feel in control? Were they able to stay calm and reset when needed?

Success Story: Teams Using Mental Performance Techniques

Many high-performing teams across sports have integrated mental performance training into their routine, showing remarkable improvements in performance and team dynamics.

North Carolina Courage (Professional Women’s Soccer)

The North Carolina Courage soccer team has been vocal about their emphasis on mental training as part of their preparation. By incorporating regular mindfulness exercises and mental toughness training, they’ve seen improvements in team communication and focus, which helped lead them to multiple National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) championships. Players report feeling more connected and confident on the field, even in high-stakes games​.

University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball

The UConn Huskies, one of the most dominant women’s basketball teams in NCAA history, use mindfulness training to help their athletes deal with pressure and expectations. Head Coach Geno Auriemma has spoken about how mindfulness helps athletes stay grounded, manage the intense pressure of competing at a high level, and maintain their focus through adversity. The team’s ability to stay mentally sharp has contributed to their success year after year​.

Building Mental Toughness for Life

As a coach, teaching your athletes mindfulness and mental performance techniques goes beyond just helping them succeed in competition—it equips them with lifelong skills. Mental toughness, resilience, and the ability to stay calm under pressure are qualities that will benefit them not only in sports but in every aspect of their lives.

Start small, integrate these practices into your daily training routine, and watch how it transforms your team’s mindset, performance, and unity.